Diagnosing a cooling subsystem of an engine system in response to dynamic pressure sensed in the subsystem

Abstract

A method of diagnosing a cooling subsystem of an engine system in response a parameter extracted from dynamic hydraulic pressure sensed in the cooling subsystem, and products and systems using same.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An engine system comprising:
 an internal combustion engine; 
 an engine breathing system coupled to the engine, and including: 
 an induction subsystem coupled to the engine upstream thereof; 
 an exhaust subsystem coupled to the engine downstream thereof; 
 a high-pressure (HP) exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) subsystem in communication across the exhaust and induction subsystems, and including a HP high-temperature (HT) EGR cooler; 
 a turbocharger between the induction and exhaust subsystems and including a turbine in the exhaust subsystem and a compressor in the induction subsystem; and 
 a low-pressure (LP) EGR subsystem in communication across the exhaust subsystem downstream of the turbine and upstream of the compressor, and including a LP HT EGR cooler; 
 a cooling subsystem coupled to the engine to cool at least a portion of the engine and including: 
 a plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices to sense dynamic hydraulic pressure; and 
 a high-temperature (HT) cooling subsystem in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and the engine breathing system, and including an HT radiator, an HT coolant pump, a thermostat valve, the HP and LP HT EGR coolers, an HT coolant valve; 
 a LT cooling subsystem; and 
 a control subsystem to extract a parameter from the sensed dynamic hydraulic pressure, and to evaluate the extracted parameter to diagnose a condition of the cooling subsystem; 
 wherein said LT cooling subsystem is in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and the engine breathing system, and includes an LT radiator, an LT coolant pump, an LP LT EGR cooler, an LT coolant valve, and said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices. 
 
     
     
       2. The engine system of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the HT coolant pump and upstream of the engine. 
     
     
       3. The engine system of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the engine and upstream of the HT radiator. 
     
     
       4. The engine system of  claim 3  wherein one of the plurality of sensing devices is proximate the HT coolant valve to monitor and diagnose operation of the HT coolant valve. 
     
     
       5. The engine system of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the engine and upstream of the HT pump. 
     
     
       6. The engine system of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the HT EGR cooler and upstream of the HT pump. 
     
     
       7. The engine system of  claim 1  wherein one of the plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the LT EGR cooler and upstream of the LT radiator. 
     
     
       8. The engine system of  claim 7  wherein said one of the plurality of sensing devices is proximate a junction of HP and LP LT coolant branches to monitor and diagnose flow of coolant downstream of the LT EGR cooler. 
     
     
       9. The engine system of  claim 1  wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the LT radiator and upstream of the LT pump. 
     
     
       10. The engine system of  claim 1  wherein the induction subsystem includes a charge air cooler (CAC), and one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the LT pump and upstream of the CAC. 
     
     
       11. The engine system of  claim 10  wherein said one of said plurality of sensing devices is located just downstream of the LT pump to monitor and diagnose operation of the LT pump. 
     
     
       12. The engine system of  claim 1  wherein the induction subsystem includes a charge air cooler (CAC), and one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of both the CAC and the LP LT EGR cooler, and upstream of the LT radiator. 
     
     
       13. An engine system comprising:
 an internal combustion engine; 
 an engine breathing system coupled to the engine, and including an induction subsystem coupled to the engine upstream thereof, and an exhaust subsystem coupled to the engine downstream thereof; 
 a high-pressure (HP) exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) subsystem in communication across the exhaust and induction subsystems, and including a HP high-temperature (HT) EGR cooler; 
 a turbocharger between the induction and exhaust subsystems and including a turbine in the exhaust subsystem and a compressor in the induction subsystem; and 
 a low-pressure (LP) EGR subsystem in communication across the exhaust subsystem downstream of the turbine and upstream of the compressor, and including a LP HT EGR cooler; 
 a cooling subsystem coupled to the engine to cool at least a portion of the engine and including: 
 a plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices to sense dynamic hydraulic pressure; and 
 a high-temperature (HT) cooling subsystem in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and the engine breathing system, and including an HT radiator, an HT coolant pump, a thermostat valve, the HP and LP HT EGR coolers, an HT coolant valve; 
 a low-temperature (LT) cooling subsystem in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and the engine breathing system, including an LT radiator, an LT coolant pump, an LP LT EGR cooler, and an LT coolant valve; and 
 a control subsystem to extract a parameter from the sensed dynamic hydraulic pressure, and to evaluate the extracted parameter to diagnose a condition of the cooling subsystem. 
 
     
     
       14. The engine system of  claim 13  wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the LT EGR cooler and upstream of the LT radiator. 
     
     
       15. The engine system of  claim 14  wherein said sensing device is proximate a junction of HP and LP LT coolant branches to monitor and diagnose flow of coolant downstream of the LT EGR cooler. 
     
     
       16. The engine system of  claim 13  wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the LT radiator and upstream of the LT pump. 
     
     
       17. The engine system of  claim 13  wherein said induction subsystem includes a charge air cooler (CAC), and one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the LT pump and upstream of the CAC. 
     
     
       18. The engine system of  claim 17  wherein said sensing device is located just downstream of said LT pump to monitor and diagnose operation of said LT pump. 
     
     
       19. An engine system comprising:
 an internal combustion engine; 
 an engine breathing system coupled to the engine, and including: 
 an induction subsystem coupled to the engine upstream thereof; 
 an exhaust subsystem coupled to the engine downstream thereof; 
 a high-pressure (HP) exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) subsystem in communication across the exhaust and induction subsystems, and including a HP high-temperature (HT) EGR cooler; 
 a turbocharger between the induction and exhaust subsystems and including a turbine in the exhaust subsystem and a compressor in the induction subsystem; and 
 a low-temperature (LP) EGR subsystem in communication across the exhaust subsystem downstream of the turbine and upstream of the compressor, and including a LP HT EGR cooler; 
 a cooling subsystem coupled to the engine to cool at least a portion of the engine and including: 
 a plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices to sense dynamic hydraulic pressure; and 
 a high-temperature (HT) cooling subsystem in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and the engine breathing system, and including an HT radiator, an HT coolant pump, a thermostat valve, the HP and LP HT EGR coolers, an HT coolant valve; 
 a low-temperature (LT) cooling subsystem in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine and the engine breathing system, and including an LT radiator, an LT coolant pump, an LP LT EGR cooler, and an LT coolant valve; 
 a control subsystem to extract a parameter from the sensed dynamic hydraulic pressure, and to evaluate the extracted parameter to diagnose a condition of the cooling subsystem; and 
 said induction subsystem includes a charge air cooler (CAC), and wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices being located downstream of both the CAC and the LP LT EGR cooler, and upstream of the LT radiator. 
 
     
     
       20. The engine system of  claim 19  wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the HT coolant pump and upstream of the engine. 
     
     
       21. The engine system of  claim 19  wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the engine and upstream of the HT radiator. 
     
     
       22. The engine system of  claim 19  wherein one of said plurality of sensing devices is proximate the HT coolant valve to monitor and diagnose operation of the HT coolant valve. 
     
     
       23. The engine system of  claim 19  wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the engine and upstream of the HT pump. 
     
     
       24. The engine system of  claim 19  wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the EGR cooler and upstream of the HT pump. 
     
     
       25. The engine system of  claim 19  wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the LT EGR cooler and upstream of the LT radiator. 
     
     
       26. The engine system of  claim 25  wherein said one of said plurality of sensing devices is proximate a junction of HP and LP LT coolant branches to monitor and diagnose flow of coolant downstream of the LT EGR cooler. 
     
     
       27. The engine system of  claim 19  wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the LT radiator and upstream of the LT pump. 
     
     
       28. The engine system of  claim 19  wherein one of said plurality of hydraulic pressure sensing devices is located downstream of the LT pump and upstream of the CAC. 
     
     
       29. The engine system of  claim 28  wherein said sensing device is located just downstream of the LT pump to monitor and diagnose operation of the pump. 
     
     
       30. The engine system of clutch  19  wherein the extracted parameter is at least one of acceleration, period, amplitude, frequency, wavelength, intensity, velocity, or direction. 
     
     
       31. The engine system of  claim 19  wherein at least one of said conditions include at least one of a device malfunction, device failure, device position, coolant leakage, coolant boiling, coolant volume flow, coolant volume flow splits, coolant pressure differential, or coolant temperature.